Taliban Drops Badge Policy for Hindus

ISLAMABAD -- The Taliban militia has given in to world pressure and agreed not to force Hindus in Afghanistan to wear yellow badges, a news report said Wednesday.

The report in The News quoted diplomatic sources as saying a fresh understanding was reached between the Taliban militia and the Hindu community. Afghan Hindus would be issued identification cards, which they would be required to carry with them and produce when asked. The ID card policy would also apply to other minority groups. The new policy was revealed at a meeting between two Pakistani diplomats -- Aziz Ahmad Khan of the Foreign Office and Pakistan Ambassador to Kabul Arif Ayub -- with Afghan Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil.

Last month the Taliban militia had said Hindus would be required to wear yellow badges to identify themselves.

Sources said the Pakistani diplomats urged reconsideration of the badge policy, saying that this harsh step by the Taliban regime had created a serious uproar in the outside world and was giving it a negative image.

The Taliban foreign minister then told the Pakistani diplomats the matter had already been resolved and that Hindus and other minorities would be asked to carry ID cards.